KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark gutted through Sunday's game at New England despite battling a stomach issue that kept him out of practice for two days last week, but after a downturn on Wednesday he's consulting with a specialist for a diagnosis.
Head coach Andy Reid said the team's physician initially suspected a virus. Teammates said in the locker after Sunday's games Clark required IV fluids during the week and lost more than 10 pounds before the game. He didn't practice with the team Wednesday as the club prepares to host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
“We were managing it and making sure he was OK to play, and then it kind of subsided a bit and then it's reoccured today,” Reid said. “We've been in contact with a specialist, he'll see the specialist. We just want to make sure he's OK. We'll just see from there where it goes.”
Reid said team physician Michael Monaco, an expert in internal medicine, consulted with other doctors and connected Clark with the specialist to identify the problem.
“We've found somebody that he can go see that might be able to get a grasp on this thing and see exactly what it is,” Reid said. “That's kind of where we're at, we're just kind of waiting, trying to keep him as a comfortable as possible.”
Clark provided highly productive in a limited work load against the Patriots, collecting four tackles including two for a loss in just 31 snaps. He picked a sack and two quarterback hits on Tom Brady, making big plays setting the edge in the run game and disrupting the New England passing game with a dominate performance.
The defensive end admitted after the game he didn't feel well.
“Right now I feel like s***, but it’s nothing that can replace a win,” Clark said. “It’s hard winning in the NFL.”
Reid said the club's medical staff cleared Clark physically to play. Despite the Chiefs rationing his snaps, Reid said Clark “ wanted to like fight somebody” for more playing time.
“He wanted to be in there,” Reid said. “That's how he's wired and we appreciate that. Let's go find what the problem is now.”
